


Scenes from a Situationship

by Chenoeh



Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: Anal Play, Begging, Bondage, Dom/sub, Domestic Violence, Domme Dani Powell, F/M, Forced Orgasm, Kink Negotiation, Knifeplay, Malcolm Bright is a Mess, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Rope Bondage, Sex Toys, Spanking, Strap-Ons, Sub Malcolm Bright, Subspace, Triggers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 18:54:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25880158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chenoeh/pseuds/Chenoeh
Summary: Non-chronological series of scenes of Dani topping the absolute bejeezus out of Malcolm.
Relationships: Malcolm Bright/Dani Powell
Comments: 8
Kudos: 49





	1. Chapter 1

The next time Dani sees Malcolm, it's a Tuesday morning, and set to be a day of paperwork. Malcolm's brought a tray of coffee in with him, and as he brings her tea over, he very slightly hesitates. He looks ever so slightly... intimidated? which she likes. But there's really no reason to be so, and besides which, they're at work. So she smiles sunnily, thanks him warmly, and goes so far as to say,

"That's perfect, that's just what I needed".

Which is overdoing it a bit, but that anxious look fades from his face. As he turns back to take JT his drink, and his shoulders visibly relax, Dani smirks to herself and thinks

*Yes, I thought so*

Then she gets on with her work.

..........................................................................................................................................

By the afternoon, Dani's realised that Malcolm's trying to get her alone. She's actually genuinely quite busy, so she's able to put him off without making it really obvious. But by the time she's ready to go home, she's taken pity on him, so as she puts her jacket on she says to the room,

"I'm going to pick up some Thai food on the way home. Does anyone want to come with me?"

Which is a good bet, as Gil hates Thai, and she knows Tally is allergic to peanuts, and can't have Thai in the house.

So when they both say no, and Malcolm springs up and says yes, she smiles, and asks if the place near her will do.

..........................................................................................................................................

Now he actually has got her alone, Malcolm seems to have dried on what he want to say. The Thai place is surprisingly quiet for this time of the evening, so while they wait for their food (Malcolm actually ordered something, which rather surprised her), they're able to sit somewhere where they won't be overheard. Dani realises that if she waits for Malcolm to start they'll be here all night, so she gently takes his right hand in her hands, rubs circles over the pulse point and begins.

"So, I've been thinking. How did you know what the bruises from Japanese bondage rope look like? Have you tried it yourself?"

Malcolm looks a little flustered, doesn't pull his hand away, and answers,

"Well, I've tried using the rope before I settled on the restraints. You can tie knots with a quick release, but I find that too hard to do on both hands to myself. And... I've let a few people tie me up..."

He trails off and looks up at her through his eyelashes. It's delightful.

Dani leans a little closer. Lowers her voice.

"Did you like that, Malcolm?

"Ermm... sort of? I liked the idea, and I liked bits of it, but... I have to use restraints every night, and... I think that makes it a bit confusing. Like my wires are crossed and I can't settle on a response."

"What were the bits that you liked Malcolm?"

"I... liked that it made me feel relaxed. And... I like the care that went into tying the knots. I liked the effort"

"Anything else?"

"Well... I like being the focus of all that attention. It made me feel... special?"

His pupils are dilating and he's swaying towards her. Dani loves this bit. She lifts her right hand and strokes his face. Makes her voice as warm as she can.

"Did you like it when I concentrated on you?"

A nod. He's going a bit pink.

"Would you like it if I used my hands on you? Held you... still?"

Still sounds a bit less threatening than Down. For someone who's ambivalent about bondage.

Malcolm inhales sharply.

"Mmm, yes? I think that would be... good. But..."

He trails off again. Dani rubs her thumb along his cheekbone. Behind him she can see the waiter looking uncomfortable and trying to get her attention.

"But?"

"Well... aren't you... annoyed? I didn't... I didn't do anything for you. I wasn't sure you'd want to...try again"

Oh. That's it. He thinks he didn't make a good showing of himself and now he's worried she won't bother with him again, that she thinks he's selfish.

She kisses his forehead and smiles.

"You did exactly what I asked of you. I'm very pleased."

Dani stands up and nods at the waiter. Strokes Malcolm's hair. 

"Shall we go back to yours?" she asks.

Wide eyed, Malcolm nods.

..........................................................................................................................................

Once they've negotiated who's going to pay the bill (Malcolm practically leaps at the card reader) they head out onto the street. There isn't a direct subway line from here to Malcolm's apartment, so they agree to get an Uber. While they wait for it to turn up, Dani thinks she'd better assess Malcolm's experience. This can be a terribly awkward conversation at the best of times, but given Malcolm's... problems, some things had better be spelled out. So: suck it up and be awkward.

"How would you describe yourself, Malcolm? Sexually, I mean?"

"Straight, mostly? That kind of thing?"

Mostly, huh.

"Well, I'd describe myself as a top. Or maybe as a domme. I like giving orders and being obeyed. It's very satisfying in a way that isn't exactly sexual but isn't definitely non-sexual either. A lot of the time I don't want to have actual sex, or an orgasm, but sometimes I do. Most of the time I don't even take my clothes off. I like working out what kind of thing my sub needs and making sure they get it. I like getting people into sub-space and then looking after them. Sometimes that's called a service top. I don't really go in for hurting people, unless they're really into it, and I can still find that difficult. It doesn't necessarily have to be explicitly sexual either, some of the best times I've had were ordering someone to do tasks like housework, no orgasms were had. But sometimes when I do feel like having sex, and orgasms, I can be very multiple. I've come into double figures several times before now. I'd describe myself as pan-sexual, but historically I've most been with cis- men. That's the kind of thing I mean. How about you?"

Malcolm goggles slightly.

Oh dear. She's intimidated him.

"Go on", Dani smiles. "There are no wrong answers."

Malcolm sighs.

"Well, I don't like being hurt. I like being told I'm good. I've mostly had sex with women, but I've tried it with men a handful of times, though I only really enjoyed it with one."

"Do you like being told what to do?"

"...Yes".

"Do you like being ordered around?"

"Yes".

"Do you like being cared for?"

And oh, that's the one. Malcolm's eyes dilate and his posture visibly loosens.

"Yes". A breath.

"Would you like to get on your knees for me?"

Dani can actually see it happen. Malcolm's eyes dilate like saucers, his breath evens out, slow and steady and his posture, normally tense and jittery, relaxes into something caramel smooth and loose as dislocation.

And Dani's left, with a sub whose preferences she barely knows, who's sunk like a stone into subspace (and that can't be right, no sub in her experience has sunk like that), who's kneeling on an NY sidewalk in a suit that cost more than her monthly rent.

Fuck.

Fortunately, at that point, the Uber pulls over and asks if they're for Bright.

..........................................................................................................................................

By the time Dani's got Malcolm home and upstairs, he's still deep under, tranquil and still in a way she's never seen him. Dani's... concerned, let's say concerned. She doesn't know Malcolm's limits, his preferences, beyond being told that he's good, or if he expects this evening to end in any kind of sex. She does know that Malcolm's got demons the nature of which she can only just begin to grasp, and triggers she's quite sure are there, but has no idea where.

Right.

Right, this is less than ideal. 

But she can still work with this, if she's careful. And she's good at careful.

So, she turns her back to Malcolm and holds her arms out. After a couple of seconds she says, just slightly sharply,

"You may take my coat".

After Malcolm's taken her coat and hung it up (Dani does appreciate good manners), she turns back, and tells him to take his own coat and shoes off. 

"You waited for me to tell you. That's good."

He smiles a dopey smile.

"Now, get some plates and cutlery out, and we'll eat."

..........................................................................................................................................

Dani finishes her plate. She was hungry, and Thai is one of her favourites. Malcolm eats slightly less than half of his. So she orders him to take another 3 mouthfuls, and then tells him to wash up. Which he does, moving as smooth as oiled silk. It's rather wonderful. Once he's finished, she sits in the armchair, and indicates that Malcolm should sit on the couch. Her own preference is that he knelt at her feet, but she doesn't know if he'd like that. And he's deep enough that he'd agree to almost anything, which is why she has to be so careful.

"Now, tell me about your normal evening routine".

There's nothing terribly unusual in it. Shower and wash up. Change into pyjamas. Set out his medication for the next day. A brief yoga routine usually, in the rather forlorn hope he'll sleep better. Then get into bed, attach his restraints and try to get to sleep.

"Well that seems reasonable. I'd like you to take your clothes off and hang them up, and then go and take your shower."

Malcolm undresses in front of Dani. He gets down to his underpants before looking towards her uncertainly.

"Keep going," she says. She's standing right next to him, making it clear she's looking.

So he takes his underpants off and puts them in the washing pile. He's a little pink all over, and has the beginnings of an erection. It's very satisfying.

"I've got your pyjamas. Go and get into the shower."

So Malcolm walk naked across the apartment and Dani takes time to have a good stare. 

"Leave the door open".

Once the water starts running, Dani walks over to the display of weapons to the wall, and takes the opportunity to pick up a few and try the weight. She's having an idea. Malcolm doesn't take long, so when the water stops, Dani walks over to the bathroom door and watches Malcolm, with a towel wrapped round his waist, brush his teeth. When he's down he goes to walk back to the bed to get the pyjamas, Dani puts an arm across the doorway to stop him.

"I think you're dry enough. Leave the towel here".

So Malcolm walks naked back across the apartment to the bed, and puts his pyjamas on. He's still slightly erect, which is a bit of a shame, as Dani has no intention of doing anything about it tonight. 

Dani walks back over towards the sitting area and points at a spot on the rug.

"I'd like you to kneel here for me".

Malcolm kneels and looks up at her with an air of deep calm. He still hasn't spoken.

"Are you happy with this?"

It looks like Malcolm has to put himself together before he can speak.

"Yes. It's...good. I like it".

So he can speak, it just takes an effort. Dani'll have to remember that. Maybe she can help him express himself a bit better when he's in subspace. It'll be good for him.

"Good. I'm glad you like this. Now, I'd like you to hold your arms straight out in front of you, with your hands together. Can you do that for me?"

Malcolm smiles happily and does as asked. Dani turns to the weapon display and takes down the sword she selected earlier. Then she balances the sword on Malcolm's wrists.

"I want you to keep this balanced, with your arms straight, while I get myself a cup of coffee. Do you think you can do that?"

Malcolm nods and Dani walks over to the kitchen. She makes herself the coffee, and doesn't turn back to Malcolm while she does so. She takes rather more time than strictly necessary so by the time she walks back over to the sitting area and sits down in the armchair facing Malcolm he's starting to frown a little. His arms aren't shaking yet, but it won't be long.

"That's very good Malcolm. I'd like you to do that for another 5 minutes, then you can stop".

Dani takes her phone out and sets the timer going and sips her coffee. When it gets to 4 minutes she says,

"That's just coming up to 2 minutes. Only 3 more to go. You're doing very well."

By 8 minutes, Malcolm's really struggling. He's gritting his teeth a little and the sword's wobbling quite a bit. His arms are still straight though. 

"That's 3 and a half minutes. Nearly done."

At 11 minutes, Malcolm's nearly done. His arms are starting to come into his body, although he keeps straightening them back out. He's starting to pant and is getting flushed rather then merely pink. And the sword's about to fall. It's lovely. There's nothing making him do this, other than her order. He's just trying to please Dani. And she is pleased. She feels fizzy. And golden and buoyant and... good things. She feels good.

Dani gets up and takes the sword off his wrists. Malcolm gasps and sits down heavily, hugging his arms to his chest.

Dani puts the sword down carefully on the couch, and then kneels on the floor next to Malcolm and embraces him, stroking his back and hair.

"That's so well done Malcolm, I'm very happy with you. You managed the full 5 minutes, I'm so pleased."

Malcolm hums in response and snuggles closer. He's still breathing quite heavily. Dani keeps hugging and stroking him, whispering praise, for about 10 minutes. Then his breath starts to even out, and when he sits up, Dani lets him pull away. He's coming back up out of subspace.

"So, how are you feeling? Are you feeling a bit better?"

Malcolm nods, still looking a bit spaced out. He clears his throat and says,

"Yes. Yes, that was very... nice. Ermm, soothing? is the word I think?"

Dani smiles and gives a small laugh. Soothing huh? Well, she's had plenty worse. She's had plenty better too, but it's early days.

"Well, when you feel ready, go and get your meds out, and then get ready for bed. I'll make myself another cup of coffee. This one's gone cold."

(The coffee's meant to reassure him that she isn't planning on falling asleep. She can picture how that would go).

Malcolm gets up and goes into the bathroom, shutting the door this time. He's still walking with a bit of a sway, which Dani feels quite smug about. 

By the time he comes back out, Dani's made a fresh cup. He's carrying 5 different vials, which he sets out on the countertop. 

Malcolm looks a little uncomfortable.

"I, umm, I have to take a couple of these now."

"Do you mind taking them in front of me? I don't want to make it awkward for you."

Medication can be such a personal thing. It can feel like you're advertising all your shortcomings.

"No, it's OK. It's just people can be... a bit weird about it... sometimes."

"Well, you take those, and I'll go over and sit on the bed. You come over when you're ready."

Dani takes her cup, and walks over. There's hardly anything on the nightstand when she puts the cup down on it. In fact the whole apartment is very neat and tidy. The bed's been made and the floor looks recently polished. Dani has a hard time imaging Malcolm doing all his own housework. Maybe he has someone in. He must have grown up with maids.

Malcolm comes over and stands in front of her. Dani takes her boots off, and pushes her self back to sit cross legged on the bed. 

"I'd like to lie here and cuddle with you for a bit, if you'd like. We can talk about how tonight went, and what you thought? Then I'll let myself out."

"Oh right, yes... That would be great. Ermm, can I do... anything... for you?"

He looks terribly shy while he says this. It's incredibly cute.

Dani lets herself grin, and shakes her head.

"No, thank you. I'm very satisfied with what you've done already."

Might as well grasp the nettle.

"Would you like me to put your restraints on now, or would you rather do it, or wait until later?"

"Oh wow, direct, um, I'll do them now. If that's OK with you?"

"Of course."

It does make the cuddling rather awkward though. Dani had hoped to find a way for Malcolm to lie back in her arms while she holds him from behind, but quickly realises that there's no way to do that that doesn't involved her lying under the ropes. Eventually, they settle on lying on their sides, in a kind of jet pack position, with Dani lying on top of one of the ropes. There's enough slack to let her.

Dani starts running her hand through Malcolm's hair, scratching lightly at the scalp. Malcolm sighs and melts into the bed.

"So, was that the kind of thing you were hoping for? Did it work for you?"

"I'm not really sure what I was expecting. But, that was good. I liked the way you cuddled me. And the way you kept telling me I was doing well. I felt... looked after? Are you sure you're happy? I shouldn't have done something more? Or better?"

Dani nuzzles into the back of Malcolm's neck a little and keeps running her fingers through his hair. His breath is starting to slow.

"No, Malcolm. I was very pleased with you. I liked how eager to please me you were, how seriously you took my requests. I liked that a lot."

"Oh, good" There's a pause of about a minute. "I liked how you used something that you found in the house. That felt kind of... personal, if that makes sense?"

"Well good, I'll remember that".

They lie there for a few more minutes. Malcolm's starting to fall asleep, and Dani's got a specific question.

"Do you usually go under so quickly? You went right there on the street."

"Oh...I don't know? I don't think it's been that easy before."

Dani makes a Mmmm noise in response and keeps stroking Malcolm's hair. After another 10 minutes, she's confident that he's fallen asleep, so she carefully gets up, before picking her boots up and putting them on leaning against the kitchen counter. She realises that the lights are still on, and that she didn't ask Malcolm if he wanted them all turned off or some left on. So she turns most of them off, but leaves a standard lamp in the seating area, and the under cabinet lights in the kitchen on, so the apartment isn't pitch black. Before she goes, she takes out her phone and snaps a picture of the label on each of the medication vials.

"It's not snooping," she tells Sunshine, "it's research". He really shouldn't have gone under that fast, and she wants to check if any of his medications might have affected him.

Then she picks up her coat, and pulls the door shut behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A certain level of trust has been established.

Jesus Christ, Dani wasn't exaggerating about her ability to come multiple times, was she? Not even slightly.

Dani sighs and starts rocking gently back and forth again.

"One more, I think."

Malcolm actually whimpers. She's said that 3 times already, and none of those times had meant that she'd nearly had enough. But the whimper is lost in the bed clothes, as his face is smushed flat into the bed, his forearms tied together behind his back, his arse upturned as Dani's strap-on slides gently in and out of his arsehole. She's been doing this for literally an hour and he has no idea where her stamina is coming from. He's fucked girls in the same position, and he knows he can't manage more than 20 minutes, absolute tops, before his abs cramp up and he looses all strength. And as for the strap-on, he didn't get a good look at it before they'd started, but he's pretty sure that there's a nodule on the underside that's perfectly placed to circle around his prostate as Dani circles her hips in the way that brings her off like a steam train. All that time she'd spent testing him with different butt plugs to find the perfect fit paid off. 

This position also means that Dani can, if she leans forwards carefully, reach around to grasp his cock with fingers still slick with lube, tight enough that it almost hurts, alternating slow strokes with rubbing her finger tips into the slit at the tip. He's come 3 times like that, with another time forced out of him from the prostate stimulation. The last time it didn't even feel good, just an... intensity, being slowly tightened up until it was almost unbearable, before being set loose all at once, like a watch spring being wound up until it broke. Malcolm's lost count of how many times Dani's come, but it's at least 8 and probably more, he's not always been in a state to notice. Dani can be very quiet when she comes.

Dani moans and changes her rhythm, her grip on his hips tightening. Ridiculously, Malcolm can feel his balls start to tighten up and he suddenly wants to cry. It's all too much, too overwhelming and he's beginning to feel panicky. 

He... he could safe-word out. He's done that before, and Dani wasn't even angry. She'd been very kind about it actually. But... she hadn't been nearly as into it then as she is now. They'd barely even started. She might not be so understanding this time.

But she must have noticed something wrong, because she slows down, sits back on her heels and gently guides him back till he's sort of sitting on her lap. Then she starts running her hands over his flanks and the small of his back, soothing and reassuring him.

"Malcolm? How are you? Would you like to stop?"

Just the fact that's she's asking means that he can shake his head.

"Would you like me to slow down? We can just do this for a while."

Malcolm manages to croak out a "Yes". Dani keeps running her hands over his body, humming, as he relaxes back into it for a few minutes, before she starts talking.

"You've no idea how good you look like this Malcolm, spread out under me, just for me. You're so delicious I just want to eat you up, keep going until you're jelly and I have to tell you your own name."

She starts rocking again, very slightly, and the flat of her hands turns into her dragging her short nails lightly over his skin in the way she already knows raises goosebumps.

"The fact that you let me do this, that you want me to do this... it just gets me going like nothing else, I just can't get enough, I'm so fucking wet, Malcolm, I'm damn near dripping down to my knees. You're going to need a new fucking mattress by the time I'm done with you."

Oh that's... that's really good, that's really...

"Can you get back on your knees for me darling?"

Dani gently pushes him back up, and Malcolm lets his face fall back into the bed. Then she almost sits all the way back down, so the strap-on almost slides all the way out, so just the tip, slightly wider than the shaft, remains inside him. Malcolm moans into the sheets.

"Oh you love that, don't you? I knew you would."

She starts to use her nails a little harder, dragging them over his buttocks. Her own voice is getting a little shaky now.

"I love the view from here, where I can see how I'm fucking you, how I'm giving you just what you need. When you let me split you open like this, when you love it. You barely know how to ask for this, but that's OK. I know what you need."

She runs her thumb nails over his rim, where he's stretched tight around the strap-on, and Malcolm makes an incredulous noise and rocks back against her.

Oh God, he's going to come again, isn't he? She's going to make him and he's going to beg for it.

"Let me take you Malcolm, let me have you. I'll make it so good, I promise, I promise I will".

Dani surges forwards, till she's flush against his arse. From there, she reaches round to his front, but rather than grasping his cock, she starts stroking his inner thighs and then his balls. Malcolm whines and manages to hold out for a minute before he starts begging.

"Oh God, oh please, Dani, please, please let me come, Dani, fuck me, please, you promised!"

Dani damn near purrs with satisfaction, before she leans back and starts this... undulation motion, where she somehow manages to thrust in and out and circle around his prostate at the same time, while all the time repeating,

"It's OK, I've got you, I've got you..." as her breath gets shorter and shorter.

The base of Malcolm's spine starts to send sparks throughout his body, and he can feel everything tighten up again. Except this time it feels liquid. When Dani reaches around and gives his cock a couple of firm tugs, Malcolm howls and his whole body locks up as he comes for the 5th time in just over a hour. His poor spent cock gives a useless little splutter before subsiding completely. Dani goes quiet and spasms against him, gripping his hips hard enough to leave bruises in what, she told him later, was her 11th orgasm of the evening. She's still got her T-shirt on.

They both lie there for a couple of minutes while their breath comes back to them, then Dani pulls the quick release loop on the ropes binding Malcolm's arms and then carefully disengages. With that, he's able to lie flat on his back, avoiding the considerable wet patch from the both of them. Dani cuddles him and rubs his rather sore shoulders, before he ends up dozing off for half an hour. When he wakes, Dani's still there, and she asks him what he thought about the scene. Malcolm thinks for a moment, before coming out with,

"Do you do Pilates or something? Your core strength is incredible."

There's a disastrous silence, and Malcolm has enough time to think *Oh Crap*, before Dani cracks up.

"Really? I'm doing my best work here, and you're thinking about my exercise routine?"

"That didn't come out like I meant."

Dani's still sniggering, so she can't be too angry.

"I'll take it that everything was good, if that's the first thing you come out with. And yes, I've been doing Pilates for 5 years. Idiot."

..........................................................................................................................................

As it turns out, Malcolm does need a new mattress.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An atypical evening

Dani's got a bad feeling about this. Malcolm's been twitchy all week, short tempered and even a little sullen. On a couple of occasions she's pretty sure his eyes have been tracking things that aren't there. So when he calls her late on Saturday night and asks her to come over, she hesitates. It's at times like this that she worries that she's taking advantage somehow. Malcolm isn't well, and she can't be sure that he'd still want this if he was. She never knew him earlier. But... he's a grown man, who's just about functional. She's made a particular point to check in with him if he's happy about what they've been doing. He makes requests for things he'd like to do, or try, he's said when he didn't enjoy something, he's participating. And more to the point, he sounds so unhappy when he calls that she can't just leave him alone. So she grabs her bag of tricks and a taxi and goes over.

..........................................................................................................................................

When he lets her in, he's already in his pyjamas and looks about ready to vibrate out of his own skin. He's pacing back and forth and clearly doesn't know what to do with his own hands, if they should be waving about wildly, or tucked under his arms, or running through his hair, or picking up any of the several espresso cups on the kitchen counter, so he's trying to do everything at once and not achieving anything.

"Please, please, can you help me? I can't get still in my own head, I can't settle on anything, my concentration's shot... I... Please. Will you take me down? Hard? I really need you to be firm with me, I'll let... you can do anything you like. You can even use the flail, I won't stop you. Please?

Jesus Christ, Dani never actually intended to use the flail as a flail. It was the heaviest thing in Malcolm's display and Dani had been intending to use it as a weight, maybe using some of the chains to wrap around Malcolm, drag over his skin for the sensation. Not to actually hit him with it. That's far more sadistic that Dani's ever been capable of, and Malcolm's never been into pain at all. Her shock must show in her face, because Malcolm cringes like he's just realised that he's been terribly offensive and backs off, half turning away from her.

"Never mind. It doesn't matter, I'll be fine. I'm sorry I got you over, let me pay for a taxi back..."

Dani steps forward and puts her hands on his shoulders, turning him to face her. She smiles as calmly as she knows how.

"It's OK. I can help. I certainly won't leave you alone like this. I'm sure I can do something that we can both enjoy. Not the flail. But I can go harder on you than I do usually, if you think that's what you need tonight?"

Malcolm heaves a sigh of relief. 

"Yes. Please. I... I kind of want to put up a fight? Make me do what you say. Would that be OK?"

Well. That's verging on consent play, which Malcolm's previously stated is a hard limit for him. But he's specifically asking for it. But then again, he's not in a great place mentally tonight, even more so than usual. Dani doesn't like to renegotiate limits on the fly like this, it's really easy to misjudge expectations and she knows Malcolm doesn't have much experience with this to be able to pinpoint his own boundaries to himself, let alone her.

When she hesitates, Malcolm tries to explain.

"I don't mean I'd be kicking and screaming, I want you to... drag me around a bit? Push me over, be less kind."

"Oh. Well, I can do something with that. Be a bit rougher, a bit meaner. Yes. Now, before we begin, repeat the safe word for me."

Malcolm states the safe word, and so they begin.

..........................................................................................................................................

To begin with, Dani's got to do something about those hyperactive hands. She's got something she's had in mind for a while that she thinks will be appreciated. So she orders Malcolm to hold his hands out in front of him, palms together and fingers splayed out. Then she takes the metre and a half of wide red satin ribbon out of her bag and starts wrapping it around his fingers, one by one, then his palms, ending up by circling one wrist and tucking the end of the ribbon under itself. It's not actually tied, so Malcolm could get out of it with only a little work, but it won't be coming undone by itself either. A good compromise for someone who's drawn to bondage but still a little skittish. 

Just to prove the point, Malcolm immediately tries to pull his hands apart and can't. He scowls and makes a rude noise.

He's going to be a brat, isn't he? That's fine. Dani knows how to handle brats. She stands back and points to the display cabinet at the other end of the apartment. 

"I'd like you to go and get me a knife."

Malcolm takes a deep breath, before leaning forward slightly, and saying, right in her face,

"Make me."

He's actually sticking his lower lip out a little. It's kind of adorable, and Dani suddenly feels much more confident about the night. Drag me around, huh? Doable.

She grabs a handful of Malcolm's hair and straightening her arm, marches him over to one of the cabinets. He doesn't put up as much of a fight as he could and her confidence grows again.   
"I said, bring me a knife."

Malcolm doesn't move, and she shakes him a little.

"Knife. Now."

"I can't pick anything up like this, can I?"

He sounds so petulant it's hilarious. Dani's starting to enjoy this. She pushes his head against the glass of one of the doors.

"Figure it out."

Malcolm's eventually able to pull open the cabinet door by gripping the knob between his fingers like scissors. With the door open, he pauses.

"A nice sharp one."

He goes for a relatively plain knife, that looks rather more modern than a lot in the collection. When he's got it carefully gripped between his forefingers and index fingers he turns around to give it to her. 

"You don't mind if I use this, do you?"

His eyes are starting to dilate. It's hardly surprising that someone's who's into knives is, you know. Into knives. He shakes his head.

"On you?"

His eyes get even wider, and he shakes his head again.

Then she cuts his T-shirt off. Honestly, he can't be surprised. It's not as though he could take it off with his hands tied together, is it?

..........................................................................................................................................

A little later, Dani's got him stretched out on the sofa, his bound hands above his head, over the arm rest. She's straddling his increasingly obvious interest, and dragging the flat of the blade over his chest.

"Now, I know you were thinking it might be acceptable to disobey me, weren't you?"

Malcolm nods.

"But I'm sure that you realise now that's a very foolish thing to do. Especially right now."

With a great deal of care, Dani pushes the tip of the knife into the skin just below Malcolm's right pectoral. Just enough to cut into the top layer of skin, not quite enough to draw blood. Almost a paper cut. The way to a man's heart is through his ribcage.

Malcolm knows enough not to take a deep breath at this point. Even so, Dani takes the knife away. As soon as she does, Malcolm inhales a ragged breath. Oh he's very interested. Then he surprises her.

"You think this is enough to make me obey you? You don't scare me, I c-"

Dani lunges forward, and leans her left hand on the arm rest. That allows her to put the knife to Malcolm's throat.

"Don't move, little one. I've got you where I want you."

Malcolm freezes rigid, his eyes huge, and Dani gently strokes the blade along his throat.

"I know you think you're tough, but I can have you begging me for mercy in 5 minutes flat. Would you like that, little one?"

Malcolm stares up at her.

"Cat got your tongue?"

Malcolm doesn't move.

"Blink twice for yes."

Malcolm blink twice. Dani smirks.

..........................................................................................................................................

A short while after that, Dani's got Malcolm lying back in her arms on the couch, his pyjama bottoms pushed down around his thighs and a vibrating sleeve around his cock. She's got the remote control in the right hand and her phone, with the timer set to 5 minutes in her left. This time, she makes a point of showing Malcolm the timer.

"Now, I'm going to set the timer running, and turn on the sleeve, and then we'll see if you're all talk, won't we?

Malcolm's still managing to be defiant. 

"I'm not begging you for anything! Do your worst!"

This bratty Malcolm's terribly melodramatic. He'll be chewing the scenery in a minute.

Dani whispers in his ear,

"You've brought this on yourself".

Then she sets the timer going, and pushes the first button on the remote, and wraps her arms tightly around Malcolm. He manages to stay silent for 2 minutes before starting to moan. He also manages to stay relatively still for about 30 seconds after that, but by 3 minutes he's whimpering and thrashing. Dani holds on to his arms to stop him reaching down to try and jerk himself with his bound hands. As she expected, the vibe is enough to get him right to the edge without quite giving him enough to tip over. He doesn't start begging though. Not yet.

The phone beeps when the five minutes are up, and Dani turns the sleeve back off. As Malcolm lies there panting, Dani strokes his arms. 

"Well, it looks like you've proved me wrong, little one. You didn't beg after all."

Malcolm gasps,

"You are such a bi-"

and Dani pulls his hair, and he shuts up.

"You know I don't like bad manners. I'll have to think of something to punish you for that."

..........................................................................................................................................

A short time after that again, Dani's got Malcolm arranged on the couch, kneeling on it with his arse up in the air and his arms and head hanging over the arm. The vibrating sleeve is still over his cock, and Dani's still got the remote. 

"Since you've been so rude, I'm going to have to give you a good spanking. I'd say I don't enjoy this, but we both know that wouldn't be true. Five minutes again, and we'll see who's begging."

She sets off the timer, and brings the flat of her hand down on Malcolm's behind. Not terribly hard, but it makes a surprisingly loud noise. Malcolm gasps and sinks his head lower. Then she keeps going, alternating between buttocks. After a minute, she pushes the second button on the remote. Malcolm jerks and she can see his hands try to clench. Then she pushes it off again, and spends the next 3 minutes randomly turning the sleeve on and off, between settings 1 and 2, all the while spanking Malcolm's arse until it's gone from pale pink to almost fuchsia. Malcolm's groaning almost constantly, his jaw clenched, and he's started thrusting against the arm of the couch, desperate for a little more sensation that'll get him over the edge. For the last minute, Dani stops spanking and instead starts massaging Malcolm's arse, kneading into the muscle with her thumbs in a way that hurts almost as much as it sooths. She also starts pulsing with the 3rd and last setting on the vibe. Malcolm starts wailing with about 30 seconds to go. How noisy Malcolm can be is one of her favourite things. But he still doesn't beg.

When the phone beeps at 5 minutes, Dani stops the vibe cold, and steps away from the couch. 

"Well, you're a stubborn one, aren't you? I guess you've shown me. You don't need to come at all, I'm really very impressed with your self control." She's grinning, and not trying to hide it.

Malcolm lies there gasping for a couple of moments before he says, 

"Fuck self control, I'll do it myself if you won't help me," and tries to sit up.

Dani grips a handful of his hair again and pushes his face back over the arm rest. With his hands bound together, he really doesn't have the leverage to push himself up.

"Oh, I'll help you. You've just got ask. Nicely."

Malcolm scowls mulishly. He's sticking his lower lip out again.

Dani switches the sleeve on again and holds him in place when he whines.

"You know I'll make it good for you. Haven't I always? Let me do it for you."

Malcolm starts thrusting weakly against the couch arm again. Dani turns up the vibe and leans forward to whisper in his ear,

"Just one please. Just one word. I know how you like it, how much you love it when I touch you. I'll get you there, I promise. Just one please."

The vibe remote's small enough to hold in one hand, so since he's not actually struggling anymore, Dani holds it in the same hand she's got on the back of his neck and strokes her right down his back to his sore arse. She starts running her nails gently over the bright pink flesh. Malcolm moaning constantly now and his thighs have started to very slightly shiver, which means he's right at the edge. The "Please" when it comes is so quiet it's barely audible. But Dani hears it. And knowing when not to push is as important as knowing when you should.

She turns the vibe up to the third setting, and brushes her fingers ever so gently over his arsehole. Malcolm gasps before shaking all over for what seems like a particularly long time, making a noise like he being killed. It's just as well he had the apartment soundproofed for his night terrors when he moved in. That would have had the neighbours concerned. Dani waits until Malcolm collapses against the couch before she turns the sleeve off and removes her fingers. She strokes his hair instead, making soothing sounds, before guiding him to sit up and cuddle against her. She's not had to punish him for anything before now, and the contrast with how pliant and calm he is now, compared to how agitated he was before gives her a bone deep sense of satisfaction. After a few minutes, he turns his face into her neck and says,

"Sorry I called you a bitch."

Dani smiles into the top of his head.

"Well, you know now what happens if you do that."

"Not sure if that's supposed to stop me."

Dani laughs.

"No, that's probably a mixed message at best. So that was OK for you? I didn't go too hard?"

"No, that was good. I wouldn't like any harder though. And I wouldn't like that every time. That's OK, isn't it?"

He's always so anxious he won't please her, that short of an easily measurable metric, like an orgasm, he can't be sure she's satisfied. 

"Yeah, that's OK. I enjoyed that too, but like you said, it would be a bit much every time."

One of the big things Dani likes about Malcolm is how eager he is to submit most of the time, how he'll go down as sweet as sugar. It makes her feel protective, like he's something that needs to be cherished. She sits up a bit.

"Would you like something a bit softer before I go? I've had a new idea, and I think this might be a good time."

Malcolm gives her a rather sleepy smile, and says Yes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A flail is either a weapon like a morning star, a short staff with chains attached to one end with spiked balls at the other ends of the chains, or an agricultural tool used to winnow grain crops, a short staff with chains at one end with metal rods at the other ends of the chains. This one just has rather fine metal chains, something like a cat'o'nine tails but made of metal instead of leather. In short, something you could actually kill someone with and absolutely not something Malcolm should be letting anyone use on him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uh-oh

It's early evening on a late August day, the kind where the humidity starts to run down the walls, and Malcolm's feeling particularly good about today. Dani's going to come over when she finishes work, and they've agreed to try something Malcolm's been fantasising about, on and off, for years. It turns out Dani already knows how to do a proper wet shave, the kind with a cut throat razor. Malcolm's not really sure why the thought of a sharp blade at his throat makes him go floaty, but it does, and he's not going to question it. In his dreams, he's completely immobilised, totally at the mercy of the person wielding the razor, but he knows himself well enough to know that that would make him panicky in reality. So Dani's suggested that he holds a belt, running under the chair he's sitting in, one end in each hand, pulled tight so his hands are occupied, but he can still let go any time he likes.

Malcolm's been pleasantly surprised at how well this arrangement with Dani has been working out. She's been very respectful of his limits and not tried to hurry him into things he's not ready for. It's because of that that he's beginning to feel more at ease about ceding her more power. He thinks the next time he might ask her to tie him up properly, with real knots. It makes him nervous, but the good, excited kind of nervous, rather than the anxious, sick kind.

He's also finding that he sleeps a little better after seeing Dani. The night terrors aren't going anywhere, he's resigned to that, but he finds that he sleeps a little longer before gasping awake, maybe an hour or 2 more than usual. For someone who's been getting by on 2 hours a night, that's significant. When he mentioned this to Dani, she seemed pleasantly surprised that he'd noticed any difference at all. And that's another thing he likes about Dani, she isn't labouring under the delusion that she can fuck him better. A couple of girlfriends in the past seemed to think that, getting frustrated and even angry that he wasn't being healed by the power of love, or sex or some such crap. One had even tried to tell him he should stop taking his antidepressants, at which point he'd had to throw her out with some vigour.

The doorbell rings and Malcolm bounces over to the door to let her in. Dani's carrying her bag when she come in, so she must have gone home to pick it up before coming over. Maybe she's been on the subway then, or maybe she's just been outside, away from air-conditioning a lot today, because her blouse is sticking to the small of her back and her hair is noticeably damp, especially at the nap of her neck and her temples. Malcolm can feel sweat running down his own back, and his scalp feels damp. 

"Hey, do you want to grab a shower? I know I feel like a need one, and I've been inside in the cool all day."

Dani puts her bag down, and heads over to the refrigerator to grab a cold drink. 

"Yeah, I think that would be a nice idea. I think I can actually feel the air pollution sticking to my face. Shall I go first, or you?"

Malcolm grins as he walks over to her.

"You can go first... or we could share? Saving water and all that?"

He reaches out and pulls her blouse out of her jeans. And...

Dani punches him full in the face.

Malcolm staggers back a couple of steps and raises his hand to his face.

They two of them stare at each other, and it would be hard to tell who's more shocked.

Malcolm's flooded with panic, but more than that, an overwhelming need to appease. He must have done something very wrong to anger her like that, but he has no idea what. He must, he must make her, keep her happy, it's very important that she's pleased with him. He drops to his knees and crawls towards her.

"Please, I'm sorry, don't be angry with me, tell me what to do and I'll do it. I'm sorry, I won't do it again, please..."

"Surgeon," says Dani.

Malcolm gasps and the panic and the urge to placate recede a little, but are only replaced with confusion. He stutters to a halt and sits back on his heels.

"I don't understand?" he says meekly.

Dani's looking... horrified. 

"I'm very sorry. I should never have done that. I'll leave now".

And she walks briskly out, leaving her bag on the floor and Malcolm baffled and hurt and at a loss.

..........................................................................................................................................

Malcolm doesn't try to contact Dani for a few days, and Dani doesn't contact him. Then on the 5th day, Gil calls him in for a case. The case itself is relatively straightforward, but Malcolm can't get a handle on Dani's behaviour at all. She's being very polite, yet distant. She gets him the lunch he likes and leaves it on his desk while he's away. She doesn't actively avoid him, but she doesn't really meet his eye. She praises some of his insights rather more than they deserve, but not so much anyone else notices. On the second day, he notices her drop her arms from where they were folded around her as he approaches, and realises that she's deliberately trying to be physically non-threatening. She doesn't think he's afraid of her does she? Does she think that she misjudged his boundaries, badly overstepping? Because he's not sure that she did, exactly. The punch was way over their agreed limits, but... he didn't hate how thoroughly he'd immediately wanted to submit.

So he waits until the end of the day, after the arrest has been made, and catches her as she walks out of the station. She looks like she was expecting him. 

"Can we talk?" Malcolm asks. Dani sighs and agrees.

..........................................................................................................................................

Sitting on a park bench in the evening warmth, Malcolm looks around to make sure that no-one's near enough to overhear.

"I'm not angry. But I don't understand what happened. I thought everything was going fine, but I was obviously wrong."

Dani hesitates.

"That's part of the problem. You should be angry with me. You should be furious. I hit you. You don't like being hit, you said so, very clearly".

"I don't like it. But... I was surprised at how much I wanted to submit to you, to keep you happy. It was kind of all encompassing for a moment. And I kind of liked that feeling. That's not bad is it?

Dani looks terribly sad, and reaches up to stroke his cheek. Malcolm leans into it, and Dani pulls away.

"It's not great, is it? You're so horribly easy to take advantage of. You should be more aware of that".

"I still want to see you." Damn it, that sounded pathetic.

"I think..." Dani says, "I think we should take a couple of weeks apart. I think we should take another look at the limits we agreed. I know I have to add some things. And then, if you still want to, we should start again slowly. I know I was shocked by my own reaction, and I don't want that to happen again. I don't want it to happen to you. Three weeks. Than you can call me. If you want."

Malcolm heaves a sigh of relief, and nods.


	5. Chapter 5

A list, shared between Malcolm and Dani. To be amended as required.

Malcolm's Hard Limits.

No blindfolds, gags or earplugs. Nothing over the head or face either.

No collars, or anything that might count as breath play.

Amendment. Likes soft things e.g. ribbons, silk scarves being tied loosely around his neck. Nothing tight though.

No confinement.

No introducing something new in the middle of a scene. New things must be discussed before hand. Can be very passive whilst in subspace, and can agree to, or at least not resist, things that he'll later regret. (Dani's note: Gently inquire at some point.)

No being hit, or extreme pain. Doesn't actually enjoy pain for itself, but will tolerate some for the satisfaction of the dom/me.

No interfering with or trying to dictate his medication routine (Dani: WTF?)

No consent play. If he says no, that's non-negotiable.

Malcolm's Soft Limits.

Bondage. Likes the idea, but finds it difficult in practise. May be something to be worked up to, as trust is established. Knots that he can release himself?

Amendment: no chains or anything metallic. Something about the noise freaks him out. Leather, silk, ribbons, ties etc. are OK.

Humiliation. There's something about embarrassment that he likes, but not really actual humiliation.

Spanking. The exception to being hit, but only with the hand, not a paddle or any implement. And he'll ask for it, don't initiate it.

Very ambivalent about using his sleeping restraints for sexual purposes. Equivalent to sexualising doorknobs?

Malcolm's Preferences. 

Likes clear directions, no making him guess, or setting him up for punishment.

Likes being praised and cuddled, especially during aftercare.

Likes being called names some of the time (not all).

Likes anal stimulation/penetration (not all the time).

Likes the feeling of being of service/being used.

Likes his hair being pulled.

Likes toys (see above about introducing new things).

Likes knife play, even to the point of cutting (exception to pain aversion), especially around his throat (risk aware consensual kink). (Dani: No).

Likes masturbation, or using a sex toy, at the dom/me's direction while the dom/me watches. No-one else.

Likes orgasm delay, but not being denied completely, if the scene is explicitly sexual. But not every scene has to be sexual. Does like non-sexual domming.

Dani: Question. Can a willingness for a scene to be, or to turn sexual be assumed? Or should that be checked before starting each time, given your difficulty saying no in the moment?  
Malcolm: Huh, good question. I'm leaning towards consent can be assumed, but I'll have to think about that.

..........................................................................................................................................

Dani's Hard Limits.

Don't try to initiate sex with me. I'll let you know when I want to fuck you.

I'll be fully dressed the vast majority of the time.

Amendment: Don't undress me, or do anything that even looks like trying to.

Nothing that could be life threatening if it goes wrong, even if you do consent.

No serious pain, or anything that produces a lot of blood.

No scenes if everyone's not totally sober. 

Dani's Soft Limits.

I like kissing during sex, but I'm very picky about where I'm touched. If I put your hands somewhere, they should stay there. Don't touch me if I don't tell you to.

Dani's Preferences.

Sometimes I like to make people cry. With desperation, or need, not pain. Then I like to make it better.

I like making people come, when they think they can't anymore.

Sometimes I like to coddle people, really care for them, things like hand massages or manicures. Nothing sexual at all.

I like face sitting.

I like directing people to touch themselves in front of me, maybe with toys too.

I like ordering people not to come, while I do something they really like.

Sometimes, I like to take pictures. I've got an old digital camera, old enough that it's got no internet connectivity, you need a cable to download anything. I got it fingerprint locked, and I keep them just for myself. I try not to show faces, and I'll delete any you don't want kept in front of you before I leave. (Malcolm: Oh. I'll have to think about that too).

..........................................................................................................................................


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Malcolm was mortified and offered to buy Dani a replacement, but she rather like the effect.

Dani's got bite marks in the collar of her brand new leather jacket. 

It's her own fault. She'd pushed Malcolm into the alley running alongside his apartment building on the way home from work, and given him a tortuously slow hand job behind the dumpster, whispering all the filth she could think of. About how he was such a pretty little slut, how he's been gagging for this all day, for everyone in the station to see, about how embarrassed they all were at how desperate he was.

"I suppose it's not your fault. Sluts are just born that way, I guess, getting hard at the least little thing."

She slides her hand up his cock and circles around the head. He's a little slick already, but she fishes in her inside pocket for the little tube of lube she's got there for just these kinds of situations. With a good dribble on her hand, she rubs him up and down, letting it heat up with the body warmth of her hand. Malcolm's wide eyed, with an expression of shock that's almost comical, but that's mostly thrilling. He's breathing heavily, but hasn't said a word since she first unbuttoned his trousers.

"I don't understand it myself. I've certainly never had a problem keeping my legs together."

She kicks his ankles apart, and with his legs parted slightly, reaches further down to squeeze his balls. Malcolm moans and reaches around her shoulders to grip a handful of her jacket. The leather squeaks under his hand. She can hear passers by as they walk past the entrance to the alley. One of them's complaining about the quality of his broadband.

"Oh dear, are you going to be noisy? I know what a exhibition you can make of yourself. You know everyone can hear you, right?"

She adjusts her grip so she can rub her thumb into the head while gripping the shaft with her fingers and twists gently. Malcolm shudders and starts to thrust gently against her. Dani kisses his neck gently and bites his earlobe.

"Or is that the point of all the noise? To let everyone know how desperate you are? To invite them to come and fuck you? You'd take anyone right now, you don't even care, anyone walking past right now."

Malcolm whines in her ear and shakes his head. Dani grips a bit harder and moves a bit faster. Malcolm starts to moan constantly and tips his head back, so Dani sucks a hickey over the pulse point.

"Should I do that? Should I let anyone who comes by have you? On your knees, in the muck, you'd come all over yourself, just as long as someone's fucking you hard."

Dani shifts her hand so she can tug gently on his balls, then reaches further and presses two fingers firmly up against his perineum and makes little circles with them. Malcolm's started to shiver all over now, and he's tense as a bowstring. He's going to come any moment.

"How many? How many would you let fuck you? Three? Five even? Till you're stretched open and you've got spunk running down your legs to your knees. You'd love that, wouldn't you? That's just what sluts like you need."

Malcolm moans again, rather more loudly, and this time, someone walking past stops.

"Hello?" a man says, uncertainly.

Honestly, it couldn't have been better timed if she'd paid them.

Malcolm looks at her with a look of panic, and, because Dani can be a little shit at times, she rubs her thumb into the head of his cock and jerks him, once, twice, until Malcolm's got his teeth embedded in her collar to keep from making any further noise and his hips are spasming against her as he comes for what seems like a very long time.

"Oh. Sorry." The stranger sniggers and walks on. Dani's got her badge on her belt, and a quick flash of that usually gets people to move on, if he'd been any bother. And if it had been any trouble, this alley is actually part of the building that Malcolm's mother owns, and so, since technically they can't be seen by anyone who isn't standing on Malcolm's family's property, this doesn't count as public sex. Dani checked. She's no intention of risking her career, or Malcolm's.

Malcolm eventually releases her jacket and looks up at her through his eyelashes. He looks like he doesn't quite know where he is, like the best kind of floating. Dani smiles and kisses him before lifting her come splattered hand to his mouth and running her fingers over his lips.

"Lick", she orders.

Malcolm obediently sucks her fingers into his mouth and cleans his own spunk off her hand. Before he's quite done, she takes her hand back and licks her palm clean herself. With her hands reasonably clean, she tucks him back into his pants and zips him up. Then she kisses him again, deeply this time, and strokes his face. 

"Lets go inside now".

..........................................................................................................................................

It's watching Malcolm trying to unlock his own front door, and it taking three attempts, that Dani realises that Malcolm's deeper in subspace than she's ever seen him. Walking up the staircase in front of her confirms it. He's swaying slightly and moving with oiled ease instead of his usual tense jitteriness. Once they get into the apartment, he turns towards her and stands still, waiting for her word with a slightly dazed look. His shoulders have slackened and he looks half asleep. Dani turns around and holds her arms out, and Malcolm carefully takes her jacket off and hangs it up. He still hasn't spoken a word, and that, more than anything else shows how far under he is. This always makes her feel so protective, like he's something precious made of spun sugar, something rare to be cherished. He needs such tender handling when she's pushed him so hard, something reassuring to bring him back to himself gently.

Dani walks over to the armchair and sat down, before lifting her right leg.

"I'd like you to take my boots off now".

Malcolm moves eagerly to her, kneeling at her feet to carefully unzip her knee boots and put them neatly under the coat hook.

"Now, I'd like you to go and change into your sleeping things, and then put a pillow on the floor at the foot of your bed. Then lie on the bed with your head just hanging off the foot of the bed please".

If he's puzzled by that, he doesn't show it. While he's doing that, Dani makes herself a cup of tea, and watches him change. Then she goes into the bathroom and picks up the small box she'd left there the previous week, and a couple of bottles from the bathroom shelf. Malcolm's laying on the bed when she gets out, so she walks over, and covers him with a weighted blanket. Then she kneels on the pillow and opens the box.

Darla, the sister in law she doesn't get on with, married Havi, the brother she has nothing in common with, 6 years ago. Since then, every single birthday and Christmas, they've given her make up and make up brushes. It's not as though Dani doesn't wear make up, or doesn't use brushes to apply it, but the lack of thought or effort vaguely offends her. The colours are all wrong too, she's only ever used two of the pallets, and one of those was for an 80s night her friends had taken her to, and later on, for Halloween. The rest she'd passed on, still in its packaging, to friends who had different skin tones and tastes. But she'd kept some of the brush sets; to be fair to Havi and Darla, they'd bought some high end stuff. It's an unused set she brings out now.

"I'm just going to run these gently over your face. Then I'll use a couple to apply some of your moisturiser".

That's the thing about these metrosexual guys, some of them have a better skin care routine than she does. 

Dani spends about 20 minutes just gently brushing Malcolm's face, running the brush over his closed eyes, down the sides of his neck and over his lips. Then she squirts a little of the moisturiser onto his cheek bones and forehead and gently uses a brush to work it into the skin. All the while she whispers how good he's been, and how pleased she is with him. By the time she's finished, Malcolm's still very relaxed, but he's also looking a bit more alert. He's still under, but a lot closer to the surface.

Once Dani's finished, as she's standing up, her stomach rumbles loudly. She laughs and says, 

"I think that's the signal to order pizza."

..........................................................................................................................................

The regular pizza place tells them that they're having a problem with their ovens, so it'll take 30 minutes to deliver. While they wait, they lie on the sofa, Malcolm lying back in Dani's arms, the two of them half-watching cartoons. Dani keeps stroking Malcolm's hair, letting him drift to the surface while she promises him she'd never really make him get on his knees for any passers by, that she promises she'd never let anyone else have him, that she knows he's not really a slut. By the time the pizza arrives, Malcolm's come back to himself, and the two of the them eat the pizza while shouting out the answers to the questions on quiz shows.

The thing is... alright, the thing is, Dani does actually quite like the idea of sharing Malcolm. She's got a couple of friends in the community, male and female, plus Pax, who's fluid, who she thinks could rock Malcolm's world. She's joined in with all of them before at least a couple of times, and she could name 5 people who she thinks could make Malcolm very happy for an evening. Except, of course, that Malcolm is not into being with more than one person at a time. She's got the feeling that he's tried it and... wasn't into it. Of course, she could introduce them and then leave them alone, but, given Malcolm's trust issues, she doesn't think he'd be up for being dommed by a total stranger, even if she has vouched for them. Maybe she could suggest that one of them watch one time, if she frames it as showing Malcolm off? She'll bring it up on another occasion.

It's a dichotomy that Dani thinks Malcolm hasn't fully realised about himself, that he finds being frightened arousing. That's why he gets off on Dani talking about making him do things he genuinely doesn't want to do, or on having sharp things held to his neck. Arousal and fear produce the same physiological effects; elevated heart rate, increased breathing, adrenaline rush. At some point, the two became interchangeable to some extent, such that if he's frightened when he's already aroused, his body mistakes it as more arousal. But at the same time, lean too hard on the fear, and the arousal tips over and Malcolm's abruptly just terrified, not into it at all. And he's spent so much of his life scared after dealing with all his father's shit, that Dani thinks he'd have a hard time really acknowledging that sometimes he likes being scared. He still just thinks of it as liking someone else being in charge of him and he wouldn't appreciate the truth being pointed out to him. His rather lacking sense of self preservation is probably part of the same thing, fear gets mistaken for excitement. 

Well, there isn't anything Dani can do about it now, and really, she's not sure that this is the sort of thing that needs something done about it anyway. Just... something to be aware of.

**Author's Note:**

> I've seen all of 3 episodes of this! I don't know why this caught my imagination so much.


End file.
